Sealing means for the piston of a gasholder



R. B. LUEBBE SEALING MEANS FOR THE PISTON OF A GASHOLDER Sept. 14, 1937.

Filed May 29, 1956 2 sheets-sheet 1 V IN VEN T R. 6

ATTORNEYS Sept. 14, 1937.

R. B. LUEBBE SEALING MEANS FOR THE PISTON OF A GASHOLDER Filed May 29, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q I INVENTO ATTORNEY5 Patented Sept. 14, 1937 1 SEALING MEAN S FOR THEPISTON OF- A G'ASHOLDER Raphael B. Luebbe, Cincinnati, .Ohio, assignor to The Stacey Bros. .Gas Construction Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporationof Ohio Application May .29, 1936, Serial :No. 82,571

4 Claims.

This -inventionq-relates to storage reservoirs or holders for .gas or the like. It is particularly directed to improvements; in the vertica1ly= translatable pistonior deck within the reservoirywhich functions ;as -a -movable .topclosure for the .gas contained-.in-the holder. The gasis confined in the space between the; piston: and the closedbase of the holder, :which piston by its'WeightJmain- .tainsthe gas.under;pressure, and vertically-ad- ,justs to accommodate the gas supply contained in=the reservoir. This type ofgas holder iscommercially-known as a waterless-gas holder.

The z-pistonlincorporates a solid or mechanical sealfor sealingthe piston with the wall of :the reservoir. of one or several Tpacking ringsplaced onadilatable sheet metal ring, and constantly bearing, under .pressure, against :the 'wallof the holder under the influence of levers :and weights.

The sheet metal :ring has beenmade dilatable by incorporating vertically disposed flutes or ribs therein. These .fiutes; have: beenrdesigned: to .per- -mit. the ring to. dilate, either. incontractive or ex- .pansive movement and-to bend toanyirregular contour necessary for maintaining the mechanical seal Qr-packing ring in uniform and positive contact with the .wall of the holder throughout the entire .inner circumference thereof.

his the object of-this-invention to .providea Seal for the piston of a-gas holder which has increasedflexibility or elasticityandwherein the packing. rings readily adjust to. any irregularities in the contour of the holder wall.

The. present. invention involves the provision. of a supportmeansfor.thesealingiring madeup of sections between which thereare improved connections permitting the necessary freedom of action of. the sealing rings. The sealingrings may flex in relation .to small portionsof the circumference, such as'over the space of one or two sections, thatis .to say, each section.may..move ,directly radially,vas well as stretch and contract vcircumferentially. -Apacking closely fitted to the holder Wallis always insured. .An extremely, important result is that j less .contact .m-aintaining ,power is necessary inasmuch .as there is no -.ten-

dency for any. given section tointerfere with the movement of the sections adjacent thereto.

.It is. a further object to providea dil'atablering assembly of the foregoing nature,'in which the support or backing of the packing rings and the fabricsealring is continuous. r

Other objects and further advantages will be more fully apparent from the description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

,The seal includes an arrangement Figure 1 is=.-a:fragmentary sectional viewtaken through one side of a'holdeL-illustrating a .portion :of the piston and showing-.the;packing rings and support therefor, relative to the piston andthe cylinder ---wall.

Figure; 2 is ,a fragmentary. sectional view taken wonline. 2-2 ,Figure 1, illustrating a portion: of the circumference of the-improveddilatable seal ring, certaineof the weight elements being omitted.

Figure 3 I is; a:fragmentary sectional =view taken .on line '23-:3, Figure;1,i1lustrating the-internal appearance of the ring certain of the weightelements being omitted.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional vview takenon line -44,sF. igure 3, showingtherelationship of the sections'of the ring.

Figuree5 is a.-fragmentary sectional-view taken on line..5-5, -Figure 4,a;portionoftthelview being broken away .for -more -.ful ly illustrating the --elements of the'connection.

Inithe illustration of the invention-herein, the

rpackingrorsealingrings are-supported by means of a flexible dilatable sheet metal ring consisting ,ofsectionsmounted on-weighted-levers and acted upon by weights for the purpose of providing efficient sealing contact of the sealingrings with the holder -wall.

Referring-t0 the drawings, the wall of ,theseal .or ho-lder isindicated at 10 and the deck'or piston,

.generally atrl I. A superstructure, generally indicatedrat i2, is,provided:as.-a,part of the outer edge -,structure of thepiston. This superstructure car- .riesthe.sealing unit, .generally shown at l3. ,The

This is only described to that extent believed necessary tosetforth .the.jmounting and: environ- ..ment of the sealing .unit of thisinvention.

The.piston.proper.may bestated to comprise-a f abricated. structure. on which. platesare mounted to make up a cup-shapedpiston. The marginof the piston-incorporates .Iebeams l 6 which-may be describedas circumferentially arranged. A series of .I-beams I'I zrise-above ,andare supported ,on these .I-beams .16. These vertical .I-beams. are bracedrelativeto the piston .or deck by means of angle iron braceelementsextending .tothe top of the piston (not. shown).

The ,uprights 112 ,are.,.joine d.v by angle .iron and channeLiron elements T18. ,IIhe uprights H and cross eIe'ments IBfor'm a vertical frame structure which supports a plurality of rollers l9 mounted on brackets 20, attached to the vertical frame through the outer end of the rail 2|.

or angle iron elements 2| by means of a plurality of levers 22. Each lever 22 is of bell crank form,

providing arms 23 and 24. The arm 23 extends horizontally and carries a plurality of weights on its outer end. The pivot 22 for the lever is located at the juncture of the arms thereof and The other arm 24 extends downwardly and is connected to a respective section I5 of the dilatable ring. It will be understood, of course, that there are a multiplicity of these levers or sections distributed around the piston structure, whereby the sealing unit is supported at closely spaced intervals and the cylinder wall. 5:

the ring is uniformly pressed outwardly against The arm 24 of each lever 22 is secured to the respective section by a pivotal and adjustable connection. Angle iron brackets 26 are properly bolted tothe seal ring unit by bolts 21. The ends of the arms 24 fitbetween the adjacent arms of the pivot brackets-and are traversed by a pivot pin 28 in each instance. For purposes of adjust- "ment, the arm' 24' is sectional.

The section 29, which attaches to the pivot bracket, includes a sleeve portion 30 traversed by the main portion of the arm 24 which is disposed at right angles to the section 29. A bolt 30 fixes the sleeve portion to the arm 24. The position of the arm sections may be varied, depending on the position required for the weights. For example, if the weights are disposed at an unduly low elevation when the sealing unit is in snug engagement with the holder wall, the weight arm can be lifted without interfering with the position of the seal ring after loosening the bolt 3|. I

Describing one of the sections l5 in detail, it will be found, upon reference to the drawings, to consist of sheet metal of channel form, providing'side arms 32 and a base'wall 33. The channel elements are disposed vertically with the arms projecting substantially radially toward the center of the piston, the base wall lying against the fabric seal ring 34 disposed circumferentially of the holder.

The seal rings [4 are in sets, upper and lower, spaced by means of a wooden ring 35. The seal rings [4 are formed for continuous engagement with the inner wall of the holder shell. The spacer ring 35 is formed on a lesser'diameter than the seal rings so as to provide a space 36 for grease or a lubricant of some sort adapted to V saturate the seal or packing ringsformaintaining the same in a pliant condition;

Upper and lower angle irons 31 and'38 respectively extend circumferentially and are held together by draw bolts 39, clamping the packing rings I4 and the spacer ring 35 between the angle iron elements 31 and 38. Each section I5 is secured to the angle iron pieces 31, 38, by the bolts 2?, the fabric seal ring being interposed between the assembly of seal rings and the sections, and depending therefrom for attachment to' a cir- .shifting of the arms on the bar.

The circumferential Width and position of each section is such as to provide spaces between adjacent sections, as indicated at 43 see Figure 4).

'A spacer bar is attachedbetween the outer edge margins of adjacent arms of'the; sections.

The adjacent arms of the respective sections "are attached, with the spacer bar 44 interposed, by means of bolts 41, washers 48 and nuts 49. The apertures 50 in the side arms of the sections, traversed by the bolts, are elongated horizontally for the purpose of permitting radial The nutsv are not drawn tightly, only enough pressurebeing used to hold them in position. Free sliding action of the arms and therefore the sections, with respect to each other, can take place. Packing 5| fills the spaces 43 and supports the seal ring between the sections of the support ring.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a sealing piston forreservoirs for the storage of gas or the like, a packing ring adapted to engage the inner wall of the reservoir, a metal support ring for said packing ring comprising sections, each of said sections having inwardly projected arms, the adjacent arms of the adjoining sections being spaced apart, spacer bars interposed between theinner ends of said arms, and fastening devices for securing said arms upon said spacer bars, said spacer bars loosely traversed by said fastening devices for permitting sliding action of the arms on said spacer bars.

2. In a sealing piston for reservoirs for the storage of gas orthe like, a packing ring, a support ring for said packing ring comprising a plurality of circumferentially arranged plates, said plates of U-shape in plan view, a lever for independently supporting each plate, a weight on each lever for urging each plate toward the packing ring for maintaining the packing ring in sealing engagement with the wall of the reservoir, spacer plates, and fastening devices securing the arms against the spacer bars and permitting sliding motion of the plates on said spacer bars.

3. In a sealing piston for reservoirs for the storage of gas or the like, a packing'ring adapt-' ed to engage the inner wall of the reservoir, a support means for said packing ring comprising a plurality of circumferentially arranged plates, said plates of U-shape in plan view, the adjacent arms of the adjoining plates being spaced apart, spacer bars interposed between the inner ends of said arms, and said arms slidable with repect to each other and with respect to said spacer bars. 4. In a sealing piston for reservoirs for the storage of gas or the like, a packing ring, a support means for said packing ring comprising a plurality of circumferentially arranged plates,

said plates of U-shape in plan View a lever for jacent plates, and said arms having radial move- 7,

merit and slidable with respect to said bars. f

RAPHAEL B. nnEBBn.

bars interposed between the arms of adjacent" 

